Chapter Five:
Fears, Tears, and Ice Cream
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

      Maya laughed loudly as she watched Richie steal an instrument from one of the marching band members. Eddie watched in awe, he tried to snap himself out of it. He couldn't, he was put in a trance by the girl. He couldn't seem to get enough of her. Especially that laugh. That was his favorite part about her.

      He loved the way her eyes sparkling blue eyes lit up when she talked about something she loved, the way she would throw her messy curls into a ponytail when it got hot. He loved the way she would throw her head back and laugh when Richie said something stupid or perverted. Her nose would scrunch up and her eyes would close and she grabbed whoever was next to her for support.

      Right. He thought bitterly. Richie. They were probably together, Eddie would be surprised if they weren't dating. They were always together, and he was always at her house. He always walked home with her. Eddie couldn't hide it from himself. He was jealous. He was jealous because he wanted someone to love him like Maya loved Richie. Eddie huffed and walked off to get some ice cream.

      "They say they found part of his hand all chewed up by the stand pipe." Stan said sadly. Maya frowned as she looked at the picture.

      Edward Corcoran. He sat in front of Maya in science class. He's a nice boy.. he was a nice boy. "He sat next to me in Math and Science."

      "He asked to borrow a pencil once." Ben chimed in. Maya sighed, but glanced towards the girl next to her, Beverly had a certain look in her eye that Maya couldn't quite place. But she knew she liked it.

      Determination maybe? No, that didn't feel quite right.

      "It's like she's been f-for-forgotten because off Corcoran's missing." Bill lifted the picture up to show Betty's missing poster. Maya could still hear Richie trying to play the instrument he stole from the band player in the background.

      "The town forgot about all of them.. it's sad, really. It's really sad.."

      "What the fuck, dude?" She heard Richie huff in annoyance from behind her. She turned to see that the man had taken his instrument back. She laughed lightly before facing her other friends again. Her laugh never truly met her eyes, though. Her fear of the situation was far too great for that.

      "What're you guys talkin' about?" Eddie asked, handing the ice cream to Richie. Richie slung his free arm lazily around Maya's shoulders. His other hand held an ice cream cone that Eddie had given him. 

      "What they always talk about." Richie replied taking another lick of his cone. Maya giggled as she grabbed his hand and licked the other side and winked at him teasingly. Eddie was about to rant on the dangers of sharing food our of jealousy when Stan cut him off.

      "Is it ever gonna end?" Stan asked, worriedly. Maya felt bad for him. He seemed to be the most scared out of them all. She put a hand on his shoulder and smiled sympathetically at him. Stan looked towards her and smiled in a thankful manner. "We'll be okay, Stan. It'll end."

      "I actually think it will end." Ben started off, glancing around at the group. "For a little while, at least."

      "What do you mean?" Beverly asked, glancing over to Maya who had taken another lick of his ice cream. Her shoulders slumped as she knitted her eyebrows together, bitterly looking away.

      "So.. I was going over all my Derry research, and I charted out all the big events. The ironworks explosion in 1908, the Bradley gang in '35, and the blackspot in '62.. and now kids being..." He glanced around the group as realization fell upon Maya. There was a pattern! A pattern to all these tragedies."I realized this stuff seems to happen every-"

      "Twenty-seven years!" He and Bill said as confusion fell upon a few of the group, and worry upon the others.

      "Yeah, my dad said somethin' about that last night when... uh, when I woke up from a nightmare, I guess. But when I asked him about it the next day, he didn't know what I was talking about.." Maya explained, "I think It was messing with his mind or something.. Like It doesn't want us to know what It knows."

      "That is some scary shit." Richie nodded, "My legs are tired. Can we go sit down."

      The group decided to walk to the park to talk about it some more. Bill, Eddie, and Beverly walked together towards the front, Mike, Ben, and Stan were behind them, and Maya and Richie walked together at the back.

      "This shit is crazy, innit govna?" Richie said in his horrible Brittish accent.

      Maya laughed and nodded her head "Terrifying." She nodded as they all sat on the bench together.

      "Okay, so, let me get this straight It comes out from.. wherever.. to eat kids for like, a year? And them what? It just goes into hibernation?" Eddie asked, looking around the group before looking at Stan.

      "Maybe it's like..what do you call it? Cicadas! You know, the bugs that come out once every seventeen years?" Stan asked, shielding his eyes from the sun.

      "Ew.. I hated those." Maya said sticking her tongue out. "Always got in my food."

      "My grandfather thinks this town is cursed. He says that all the bad things that happen in this town are because of one thing. An evil thing that preys of the people of Derry." Mike explained quietly.

      "Like.. Like a demon?" Maya asked carefully. Her grandmother had warned her about those. Told her to never mess around with the spirit realm. You don't know who you could be talkin' to. She would say.

      "Possibly." Mike confirmed, looking over at her.

      "Well, shit." She muttered to herself.

      "But it can't be one thing! We all saw something different." Stan argued back.

      "Well, if it's a demon," Maya began "It could pull that off. I know they're powerful, and not in a good way like an angel. In a bad way, a very bad way."

      "Maybe. But maybe it knows what scares us most and that's what we see."

      "I-I-I saw a leper. He was like a walking infection!" Eddie said as he looked at the ground, trying not to remember the event. He began to gag as he thought about it.

      "But you didn't!" Stan said, squinting at Eddie, "B-Because it isn't real. None of this is. Not Eddie's leper. or B-Bill seeing Georgie.. or, or, or the woman I-I keep seeing"

      "Then what is it? A figment of our imaginations? A mass hallucination? It has to be real!" Maya huffed, shaking her head. Stan glanced at her and shrugged before looking back down at his feet. Maya felt bad, she didn't mean to sound so snappy.

      "Is she hot?" Richie asked, with a perverted smile. Maya scoffed and hit him on the chest.

      "Seriously, Richie? Seriously?"

      "No, Richie! She's not hot! Her face is all messed up! None of this makes any sense! They're all like bad dreams." Stan glared at the glasses wearing boy.

      "I don't think so! I know the difference between a dream and reality, okay?" Mike said, with a hint of anger.

      "What'd you see? You saw something, too?" Eddie asked, looking away from Maya to Mike.

      "Yes. You guys know that burnt down house on Harris avenue? I was inside when it burnt down" He explained. Maya felt her heart drop, did he have to go through something like that again? "Before I was rescued.. my mom and dad were trapped in the next room over from me. They were pushin' and pounding on the door.. tryin' to get to me. But it was too hot.. When the firemen finally found them... the skin on their hands had melted down to the bone. We're all afraid of something" Mike explained sadly.

      "You got that right." Richie said, turning to look at the clown behind him. He shivered with a twang of fear as he turned back around.

      "Why, Rich? What are you afraid of?" Eddie asked, glancing at the girl next to him. He wondered what she was afraid of.

      "Clowns.." He said as he pushed up his glasses.

      "What about you, Maya?" Ben asked, putting his hand up to shield the blinding sunlight.

      "Oh.. uh, well, not being accepted by my friends and family.. like being abandoned by them.. or-or being blind.. not being able to see anything would be terrifying." Maya explained, trying to seem nonchalant, but Richie and Beverly could sense the anxiety dripping of of her. Richie quickly grabbed her wrist before she could start pulling on the hairties.

      "Accepted? But Maya you know we all love you. No matter what, right?" Ben started off looking toward the sad girl.

      "Yeah, no matter what." Stan confirmed, smiling at her sympathetically. He knew what it was like to feel unaccepted. His friends would often leave him out, or forget about him. "We love you."

      "Y-y-yeah. You're our friend" Bill nodded, Beverly stayed quiet, she felt the same way about herself and her feelings. Although she wasn't so sure the group would be quick to accept her, only knowing her a short time. Richie wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he whispered something in her ear, making the girl smile lightly.

      "Yeah! There's nothing we wouldn't accept you for. You're basically perfect, anyways." Eddie said, turning red after he realized what he had said. "Okay, okay, not like that! I just meant.. that uh, you're a really cool person and I just.. uh-" Eddie went red as he cleared his throat and looked at the ground.

      "Holy shit! Eddie has a crush on you, Maya!" Richie shouted, Eddie's heart dropped. Richie just blurted the secret. How was he not mad? Eddie wondered. He leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "Fuckin' sucks for him, doesn't it?"

       "No, he doesn't! He's just trying to make me feel better!" Maya scoffed and smacked his chest and turned to Eddie. "I'm sorry for this idiot, Eds.."

      Eddie nodded, but avoided eye contact with the girl as he breathed a sigh of relief.

      "What makes you feel like we're gonna abandon you, anyway?" Ben asked the girl. He was confused, her friends all love her and she's happy here. Maya's stomach dropped, she was hoping no one would ask that. She didn't want to tell anyone else, yet. She was considering telling Bill, Ben or Stan next. As she had grown closer to the three of them.

      "Oh-uh, I just.." Maya started nervously looking to Beverly for help.

      "You don't have to tell us, if you don't want to. It's okay." Mike reassured her. "Only when you're ready. If you ever feel ready."

      "Thanks, guys. It means a lot." Maya said, opening her arms signalling a group hug. Beverly was the first to walk over to her, then it was Eddie who hugged her on the opposite side of Richie, claiming he didn't want AIDs. Next, Stan slipped off of the bench next, then it was Ben, then Bill and Mike.

      Maya felt safe in the arms of her friends, as she subconsciously leaned more into Beverly.

****

       Maya had invited the rest of the loser's to come home with her. Most of them did, only Bill, Ben, and Mike had to go home for different reasons. Ben and Bill would be able to come over for the firework show they were having that night, luckily.

      Unfortunately, Mike's grandpa didn't want him out that late. That saddening Maya, but they promised to hangout some other time.

      Maya walked next to Eddie this time, she wanted to talk to him after what Richie had said. She felt bad for the boy, she didn't want him to feel uncomfortable.

       "Hey, I'm really sorry for what Richie said. He can be a dumbass sometimes." Maya laughed and looked over at the slightly shorter boy.

      "Oh, Oh, it's fine." Eddie nodded reassuringly at the girl with a soft smile on his face. "How do you deal with dating him?"

      Maya choked on her spit, she stopped in her tracks put both hands on her knees. "Why the hell does everyone think we're together?"

      "Um because you're always with each other, and you're always touching, and he's always at your house." Stan said sarcastically, as he turned around to face the girl. He had overheard their conversation and decided to comment. "Even I thought you were together! And I think you deserve better."

      "Wow, okay, trashing the trashmouth, again? I thought we were done with that shit."

      "You aren't together? Beverly, did you know this?" Eddie was shocked, and happy. This meant he had a chance! Beverly nodded and winked teasingly at the girl.

      "Oh, I knew that." Bev nodded "They wouldn't work. At all."

      "We wouldn't, would we, Rich?" Maya agreed, nudging the boy. Richie, in return, smirked at the girl and winked.

      "Okay, I'm getting some really weird vibes from the three of you." Stan said, looking around the three laughing friends suspiciously. "Is this like... I don't even wanna know."

      "Yeah, me too." Eddie agreed, he felt his confidence diminish. Maybe they really were together and just wanted to hide it.

      "Holy shit, did you guys have sex? Or make out?" Stan's jaw dropped "You didn't! Did you?"

      "No, of course not!" Maya shouted, going red. "No, no, no! Richie, keep your mouth fucking shut."

      "Of course we did. No girl can resist me." Richie said at the same time, this caused Maya to scoff and hit him on the shoulder.

      "No, we are not together." Maya confirmed, "and we never will be."

      "Is this some sort of cover up? For.. you and Richie dating?"

      Beverly's face scrunched up in disgust. "Ew, no. Never."

      "Oh, okay." Stan commented, before continuing to move forward with Beverly and Richie by his side.

      Eddie nodded, and tried to keep the smile down as they started on their walk to her house. They talked and laughed about everything. Maya was happy, she wasn't thinking about her fears or the horrors going on in the town.

       Eddie was quiet for part of the way, simply admiring the girl. This wasn't unnoticed by Stan and Beverly. Richie was too busy rambling on about something to Maya that he didn't even notice. Although, he likely already knew.

      "What's up with Maya? You too. You were acting weird." Stan asked Beverly as they turned the corner onto the street where Maya lived. Maya had insisted on them walking to spend some quality time walking together.

      "Oh, it's just an.. inside joke.. between us." Beverly explained, pausing to find the right words to use. 

       "Hm, alright, I guess. How long do you think Eddie's liked her?"

      "Probably awhile. I mean, who wouldn't? She's got a great personality, like a really, really good personality, and she's really pretty. Like have you seen her? A beauty. It's breathtaking-" Beverly unknowingly rambled on about the girl. They had had a few more sleepovers since the rock war, and Beverly had started to like the girl. She accepted herself pretty quickly, but she still worried that others wouldn't. Stan stared at her with a questionable look in his eyes. Until, it clicked, and his jaw dropped.

      "Holy shit!" Stan whispered harshly "You! You like Maya, too!"

      "What? No, I don't!" Beverly whispered back, thankfully not catching the attention of the three in front of them.

      "Yes, you do! 'She's really pretty. Like have you seen her? A beauty' is not something you would say if you didn't like her." Stan smirked, he knew he had her. "I won't tell her, don't worry."

      "Don't tell anyone! Why are you so nonchalant about this? You know I'm a girl, too." Beverly pointed out, "So.."

      "Yes. And? Your point here is what?" Stan deadpanned, raising an eyebrow, "How does that change anything?"

      "Well. I don't know." Beverly huffed, crossing her arms in embarrassment. "It doesn't, I guess.."

       "Well, does she know?" Stan started, as they approached the steps of Maya's house. "That you like girls."

"Oh, yeah, she does. I told her a while ago after she- at our sleepover"

      "After she what-" Stan started, but was cut off as Maya opened the door.

      "Dad! I'm home! I brought Bev! And Stan, and Eddie, and Richie." Maya called, she heard a shout of acknowledgement from the kitchen. She lead the group up to her room while telling them where Josh was, as Beverly had asked.  "The boys are coming over later."

      "Alright, guys, this is my room. Dad's making a bunch of food for tonight's firework show." Maya explained, plopping down on the bed next to Richie, she scooted closer to him so Bev could fit on the bed. Eddie and Stan pulled up chairs so they could talk. "So, we can just hang for now."

      The friends talked about everything, and Richie made sure to make the comments about Maya and Beverly. This caused Maya to shove him off of the bed countless times.

      Eddie laughed so much he had to take a puff of his inhaler every so often. Bill and Ben arrived a few hours later, just before dark, and they joined in on the conversations. Josh returned home from his friend's house an hour after them, and decided to join Maya and her friends, too. Much to her annoyance, he was on the bed, with them. They were all very squished together.

      But, the real fun began at dark, when the fireworks started. After everyone arrived, Maya forced them to go downstairs to play with the waterballoons she had spent so long filling up.

      "You're in for it, Tozier!"

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{ Word count: 3007 }

{ A/n: None }

{ Edited: No }